By katie Pela
Unfortunately, no masks survive from the times of ancient Greece. Masks were made of materials that could not survive the elapse of time. However, scholars decipher much from paintings of scenes from plays found on artifacts. In addition, ancient playwrights provided clues in their works. Different playwrights used masks to emphasize different elements of a play. Aristophanes, for example, used masks to exaggerate his feelings about a certain character. Therefore, the construction of masks in a practical way remained similar among the various playwrights, but their use differed greatly.

While images of African men donning masks for ceremonial rituals are familiar to many, a University of Delaware anthropology professor has discovered that for centuries African women also have made and worn masks as part of an initiation system to mark important stages in their lives

+ Photos + sale The ?vejigante? is a make-believe character, full of energy and color. The vejigante masks are a classical example of the fusion of African, Spanish and Caribbean cultures in Puerto Rico. Masks are made from paper mache, coconut shells, metal and gourd plant

Use your mind; what does this mask look like, how does it make you feel, do you like the way it looks? Considering if you like the way something looks is an important part of exploring art. However, traditional African art is a powerful embodiment of much more than its appearance.

by Dr. Gautam Chatterjee
THINK! when mask is not hypocritic guise or camouflaged farce but innocent like the primitive people of the world ; those are aesthetically sublime and culturally very much functional! Yes today we are talking about an exhibition of rare collections of Mask from various parts of the world which is being organised by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts at Mati Ghar, New Delhi from 20th Feb.--25th March,1998.This is part of the International Mask Festivals organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Sangeet Natak Akademi and National School of Drama wherein Mask Dances from India and Abroad enthrilled people which is connected with this Exposition and a Seminar on Mask by IGNCA